Electrical generating system



Oct. 25, 1932. w. E BOWER ELECTRICAL GENERATING SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. RY/41mg) @owew,

M +4 ATTORNEY Oct. 25, 1932. w. E. BowER 1,8,547

ELECTRICAL GENERATING SYSTEM Filed March 9, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JIEHBE I2 I 55 Q .55 0 u 24 fi o 0 NI 1 I 29 I I 4/4: a 50 I 5 v I a 7 V J70 INVENTOR.

TTORNEY Filed March 9. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wad) Q) 3930 wvmfiyw ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT WARD E. BOWER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ELECTRICAL GENERATING SYSTEM My invention relates broadly to electrical generating systems generally and more particularly to systems for the generation of alternating current.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a system for the generation of electrical energy by means of the setting up of differences in mechanical tension.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system for the generation of alternatin current of a definite frequency.-

till another object of my invention is to provide a system for the generation of low frequency alternating current.

A further object of my invention is to provide a system for the generation of low frequency electrical energy by mechanical tension means reactin on piezo electric elements.

A still further fiiject of my invention is to provide a system for generating low fre quency alternating current by mechanical tension and piezoelectric forces whereby the frequency of the generated current is readily determined.

Other and further objectsof my invention will be understood from the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of-the' apparatus of my invention, partly in-"section'; Fig. 2 shows a rear end view of theapparatus of my invention in part section; Fig.3 shows a front view of the apparatus of Fi 1 in part section; Figs. 4' and 5 show si eand end views respectively in part section of 'a modification of my invention; Figs. '6' and 7 show similar views of other modifications of my invention; and Fig. 8 is a schematic ci'rcuit diagram showing the application and operation of the generating system-of my-invention.

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a preferred form of my invention. A base 1 of suitable material supports'the apparatus as Shown.

" Upstanding members 2, 3 and 4a reposi tioned on base 1 and serve to support the mechanism proper. Members 2 and 4 are positioned on base 1 by means of screws 2a and 4a respectively. A shaft 5 is supported at one end by hearing 6 and set screw 10 threaded through upstanding member 2. The other end of shaft 5 is provided with a notch or recess 7 in which one end of a piezo electric crystal'element 8 is retained. Piezo electric crystal element 8 may comprise a bar or rod of quartz or ofsuitable metal such as steel; The elasticity of bar 8 should be sufficiently great to withstand the operation, later to be described-in detail. Bar or rod 8 may be of metal veneered with thin layers or strata of quartz or its equivalent. The other end of rod'8 is positioned in recess 9 provided-in the upper end of member 4. The positioning of rod 8 in recess 9 is positive withrespect to the normal movement of shaft- 5. However, a set screw or suitable clamping means may be provided associated with .member 4, whereby :rod 8 .maybe re moved and another substituted having physical dimensions; or elasticity differing from the fornie'r. Anzelectr'omagnet 11, supported by'upstanding. member 3, .has an iron core member 13 which is closed with the exception of the space=for member '12.: 1 Member 12, of suitable magnetic material, is carried by shaft 5.- The relation of :core 13 and member 12 is mo'ref-ully illustrated in Fig.2. rA balance -wheel'15:is provided on shaft 5 and is of suitable design and. weight to contribute to thelmovementof. shaft- 5. Suitable weights 16 and 17- maybe positioned around the peripheryof wheel v15 to adjust the inertia of the movable system. Y These weights may be provided with threaded screws whereby their removal may be facilitated' Adjustable weights 19 and 20 may besupp'orted by: angle members 21 and 21a, threadedon rods Band 180;..- .The adjustment of rods 18 and 18a determining the positioning of weights 19 and 20, isefl'ected through-knurled nuts 22-and 220p 'A-n indicating mechanism23 is sup ported by upstanding member 2. Indicating mechanism 23 resembles a clock in that a gear train 24 is associated with an escapement v mechanism 25-26 and pendulum 29. Escapement mechanism 2526 is connected with rod member 27, the latter being connected to the balance wheel 15 and being movable therewith. Pendulum 29 may or may not'be em- 'ployed, as desired, and when the same is cmcore design. Air gaps 13a and 140; are provided in cores 13 and 14 respectively, which gaps are of the-proper dimensions to permit 5 the movement of armature member 1 2 yvithin certain limits. Armature member 12 is car'- ried by shaft 5. Balance wheel 15 and other associated parts are shown in greater detail,

and indicated by reference characters corresponding to likemembers in all of the figures. Weights. 19 and 20 areadjustably carried by wheel 15, the direction or-adjustment being toward. the periphery of wheel.l5 or at right angles to shaft 1 5. Moving the weights to positions nearer to the periphery of wheel-15 tends-to increase the centrifugal force of the'wheel orlin'rtia of movement thereof. g

Fig. 3 shows a front end' view, wherein indicating mechanism 23 is illlustrated in greater detail. Byobserving Figs. 2.and 3 the operation of indicating mechanism23and its association with; thereciprocating-motion of shaft 5, aided-by .wheel 15, is clearly discerned.

The rocking motion of shaft 5rand armaturemember 12 is transmitted to escapementzmechanism -26 which turhrtralismitted to gear train 241 Gear-.train-24-is aassociated withvindicating hands 33101" 334. Eitherhand 33 orv 33a may..be associatedgwith suitable spring-and gearmechanism having a'balance wheel and operable independentlywith respect toeach other.

In the latter arrangement-,:.

the actuation. of escapemenb' mechanism 25-26 moves hand 33, hand-33a wouldfmove according to time alone, uninfluen'cediim its movement by thatof hand. 33. an arrangement the-relative movement 'of one hand with respect to the other would be easily discerned and it would be asimple rocedure to determine thenumber of.osc' ati'ons-of membeifi26 which occurred in a given time as indicated by the; other bands.- Ansecond hand may beprovided whereby the -number= of. oscillations per second of time .may beidetermined entirely and accurately by obseiwing thezp'osition of the several-hands. .A'separate hand may.- be employed controlled solely by an independent gear train and-spring mechanism for indicating thetimefwhile both hands- 33 and; 33d may'be associated with the movementof'es'capement mechanism 26. The calibration illustratedin Fig. 3 is arbitrary, the proper calibration being that best suited to-the particular adaptation 'or-applicatio'n of the system.

Figs. 4; 5,- 6iand-7 depict-modifications of the system for generating electrical energy of my invention. The section containing the indicating mechanism has been omitted from these illustrations. However, similar arrangements to those shown in the preceding a core 13 electromagnetically related to armature 12. Armature 12 is positioned on shaft 5a, in an arrangement similar to that shown in the drawings previously described. A connecting arm 40 extends from-shaft 5a which is associated with mechanically vibratile ele- 2 ment8a. Element 80. may comprise a section of material havingpiezo electric properties such as quartz or may be spring steel or other material having resilient properties The metal may be coatedwith a thin layer of quartz or other piezo electric material. One end of element 8a-is held in position by member 39. In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, mechanical tension is applied to mechanically vibratileelement-8a by'means of shaft 5a and arm 40. In? Fig. -7, a-connecting'arm: 42 is pivotally connected with members 40 and 41. By the latter arrangement-it is osible to control themovement ofimechamcally vibzatile element-Sa within the desired limits by the proper adjustment of members .40, 41, 41a and 42. .Electrodes 31, and 32 contact with the surfaces of mechanically vibratile element in suitable manner to collect the potential difierence between opposite sides of member ,and' conductthe same toan'extern'al circult.-,

Figure 8 isj a; schematic circuit diagram showing an adaptation of the generating'systern of my invention embodying ce'rtairr modifications. Mechanically vibratile element 8 is actuated'by armature 12, which is associated with shaft 5 as shown in the previous figures. Contact members 30 and 31 comiect with ,the surfaces of mechanically vibratile element 8 .bymeans of whieh the difference of potential is transmitted to'the electrical circuit associated therewith. Thermionic tubes 42, 43., 44 and 45 are connected in suitable amplifier circuit arrangements, herein illustrated as resistance coupling, which may'however be transformer or impedance coupling. Thermionic tubes 42, 43, 44 and 45 each have cathodes 46, 47, 48 and 49, control electrodes 50, 51, 52 and 53 and anodes 54, .55, 56 and 57 respectively. Source of electrical energy 58 is connected with the cathodes. Source of electrical energy 59 is connected with the anodes. The alternating current generated between contact members or electrodes 3 132 is transferred to the input circuit of thermionic tube 42. The variations of potential impressed upon the control electrode 50 and cathode 46 circuit of thermionic tube 42, cause variations of current in the output circuit of thermionic tube 42. Like variations of potential of increased amplitude are impressed upon the input circuit of thermionic tube 45 and like variations of current are present in the output circuit of thermionic tube 45. The output circuit of thermionic tube 45 includes inductance 63 and the windings of electromagnets 11 and lie, all of which are connected in series. The amplified current variations generated bv piezo electrical element 8 are therefore empl ycd to reinforce the production of such current va riations. If the polarity of the charges developed on the faces of mechanically vibratile element 8 and the polarity of electromagnets are in the proper phase relation, an aiding efl'ect causes the mechanical strain to which the element is subjected to reach a maximum. The elastic or resilient properties or bending moment exerted by the balance wheel and the motion of the wheel or twisting direction of the mechanically vibratile element is reversed. The reciprocating motion continues so long as power is furnished the amplifier system.

Many modifications of the electrical generating system of my invention are possible without departing from the spirit of my invention. Many different circuit arrangements and thermionic tubes other than the type illustrated may be employed, and I desire that it be understood that the embodiments of my invention arenot to be restricted by the foregoing specification or by the accompanying drawings but only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a system for generating alternating current, a piezo electric crystal element, a fixed support holding one end of said piezo electric crystal element in fixed position, a rotatable element clamping the end of said crystal element opposite the end held in fixed position, a support for rotatably supporting said rotatable element, electromagnetic means for applying torsional moment to said rotatable member successively in opposite senses and causing said rotatable element to rotate with oscillations of small amplitude, and electrodes attached to said piezo electric crystal element for delivering electrical energy therefrom when torsion is applied to said crystal by said rotatable element, said electrodes being connected to said electromagnetic means, whereby said electromagnetic means sustains regular periodic vibrations of said crystal of frequency corresponding to the natural frequency of said crystal.

2. In a system for generating alternating current, a piezo electric crystal element, a

and-causing said rotatable element to rotate with oscillations of small amplitude, electrodes attached to said piezoelectric crystal element for delivering electrical energy therefrom when torsion isapplied to saidcrystal by said rotatable element, .and an amplifier having its input connected to said electrodes and its output:connected to said electromagnetic ineans whereby said electromagnetic means sustains regular-periodic vibrations of said-crystal of frequency corresponding to the :natural frequency of said crystal. at this time react in opposition to the torque 3. 11); 'azsystem for generating alternating .current,.a piezo electric crystal element, a ffixedsu'pport holding voneend of said piezo electric vcrystalelement 'in fixed-position, a

rotatable element clamping the end of said crystal element opposite the end held :in .fixed position, a support .for rotatably supporting said-rotatable element,-electromagnetic means for applyingtorsional-moment to said rotatable member successively in opposite senses and causing said rotatable element to rotate i with oscillations of small amplitude, said electromagnetic means comprising an armature carried by said rotatable element and an electromagnet mounted adjacent said armature, and electrodes attached to said piezo electric crystal element for delivering electrical energy therefrom when torsion is applied to said crystal by said rotatable element, said electrodes being connected to said electromagnetic means, whereby said electromagnetic means sustains regular periodic vibrations of said crystal of frequency corresponding to the natural frequency of said crystal.

4. In a system for generating alternating current, a piezo electric crystal element, a fixed support holding one end of said piezo electric crystal element in fixed position, a rotatable element clamping the end of said crystal element opposite the end held in fixed position, a support for rotatably supporting said rotatable element, an inertia member carried by said rotatable element, electromagnetic means for applying torsional moment to said rotatable member successively in opposite senses and causing said rotatable element to rotate with oscillations of small amlitnde, and electrodes attached to said piezo electric crystal element for delivering electrical energy therefrom when torsion is applied to said crystal by said rotatable element.-

said electrodes being connected to said electromagnetic means, whereby said electromagnetic means sustains regular periodic vibrations ofsaid crystal of frequency corresponding to the natural frequency of said crystal.

5. In a system for generatingalternating current, a piezo electric crystal element, a fixed support holding one end of said piezo electric crystal element in fixed position, a rotatable element clamping the end of said crystal element opposite the end held in fixed position, a support for rotatably supporting said rotatable element, electromagnetic means for applying torsional moment to said rotatable member successively in opposite senses and causing said rotatable element to rotate with oscillations of small amplitude, and electrodes attached to said piezo electric crystal element for delivering electrical energy therefrom when torsion is applied to said crystal by said rotatable element, said electrodes being connected to said electromagnetic means, a clockwork indicating mechanism, means mechanically connecting said clockwork mechanism to said rotatable element for transmitting rotative motion from said rotatable element to said clockwork mechanism and indicating the rotation of said rotatable member whereby said electromagnetic means sustains regular-periodic vibrations of said crystal-of frequency corresponding'to'the natural frequency of said crystal. WARD E. BOWER. 

